


What Could Go Wrong?

by TheCapedCrusader



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Cuteness overload, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Minor Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-02 08:40:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19437889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCapedCrusader/pseuds/TheCapedCrusader
Summary: Your daily to weekly to monthly dose of Chasefield! Check back for semi-regular updates! Not that much of a slow burn. The plot will moveee!! Indulge in some good old Chasefield with me >-<





	1. greatness from small beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so… I’m bored and lonely soooo this is happening… My first fanfic so I hope it's okay and you enjoy. Make sure you comment and give kudos, it’ll empower me to keep going with this. Now, who’s ready for some chasefield aka maximum victory? Lets go. (also when I use “POV” I kinda just mean you know what they are thinking, because I’m actually always writing in third person.)

_ Heck,  _ thought Max, being pushed up against the lockers by the one and only Queen Bitch of Blackwell,  _ I’m so g a y.  _ Max felt like she could melt into the cold— yet oh so warm embrace of Victoria Chase.

Of course, Max knew that Victoria probably wasn’t enjoying this as much as Max was, at least, not for the same reasons. 

_ Victoria was enjoying this _ , _ simply because she loved to establish social dominance over others,  _ (and not for any other weird repressed romantic feelings hehe) _ ,  _ Max thought as she took a deep inhale hoping her attacker wouldn’t notice. She smelled like lavender with a hint of spice, the kind of spice that likes to talk about you behind your back and insult you straight to your face, or course.

_ How did I end up in this situation?  _ thought Max,  _ with Victoria basically T-Posing me into a corner. _

**Flashback to 2 days ago.**

**Victoria POV**

**Victoria’s Bedroom in Seattle**

“Time for another fucking stressful ass pointless schoolyear,” Victoria grumbled to herself as she packed her things. _I mean, not exactly pointless,_ she thought. Victoria knew that she had to go to Blackwell not only because her parents were forcing her to and would disown her if she didn’t, but because it would look good on any resumes she submitted. 

Victoria mentally scoffed.  _ Resumes? I’m a fucking Chase why would I need any resume?  _ Her parents knew that Victoria  _ could  _ probably get a job with the family name alone, but that job  _ still _ wouldn’t be that great.  _ A name goes a long way in the art world and can get you pretty far, but not ‘that’ far.  _ As a Chase, Victoria needed to be the best of the best. Piggybacking on her family’s hard work can only get her so far, and her parents knew she had potential so of course they would do anything in their power to suck every ounce of potential she had out of her. Even if that meant practically smacking it out of her with class after class, extra tutoring sessions, shadowing well known photographers, and taking every single AP class she could fit into her schedule.

_ How am I even still functioning,  _ she thought,  _ with all this stress I should’ve died a long time ago… oh yeah, that’s right, coffee, and alcohol, and coffee mixed with alcohol.  _ A special ‘delicacy’ that Victoria would concoct on occasion either after a long project to ‘destress,’ or after a socially draining Vortex Club party.

Victoria was a ‘social person,’ if that meant being able to get what she wanted from those lower than her and to blend in with the higher elites, which in Blackwell was really only Nathan, and she didn’t even have to be fake around him, since they both genuinely got along, something Victoria couldn’t say about most people, except maybe Courtney and Taylor. 

After a few more humor-filled thoughts about her ironically ‘perfect life,’ which ironically left her devoid of any humor, Victoria had finished packing. She glanced at her designer clock,  _ 9:38, huh, time to spare. Maybe I could actually catch up on some anime or enjoy the last few hours I get to spend not living in a stuffy dorm.  _

Victoria had until morning when she would be shipped off to Arcadia Bay by her parents to live in her dorm.  _ At least I get to decorate it and bring ‘some’ of my things.  _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victoria’s things, including, but not limited to: 

-a fully functioning microwave with an included stove top on top of the microwave

-a hefty amount of clothing which included every cashmere sweater a bitch could dream of

-some of the manga she had currently been reading, which she requested to be shipped in a bulletproof-airtight-water sealed safe, which she would take the combination to unlock it to her grave.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When morning came, Victoria got on the earliest flight and left. Yes, all by herself, you really think her parents, The Chases, have the time to drive their daughter to the airport?  _ They didn’t even say goodbye,  _ Victoria thought in her window seat, which she had told her parents to buy the two other seats in her section so she could have the space to herself. 

At least, she  _ thought _ her parents had bought the two, because not even a  _ minute _ later someone walked down the row  _ stopped  _ at Victoria’s section, paused for a second longer than would have been socially acceptable to awkwardly stand over and figure out if this was their seat or not, and  _ sat down _ on the seat at the edge, one chair away from Victoria.

_ What the fuck?!  _ Victoria thought, simply not in the mood for this. Victoria was not a morning person even after a glass of her coffee-alcohol mix. It wasn’t exactly  _ that  _ big of a deal, but of course Victoria just had to stand up and yell at this stranger. While turning to stand and yell, Victoria finally got a good look at who this person was, because of course, Victoria gave it her best effort to ignore their existence up until this moment. 

It was a young brunette around Victoria’s age. Who had fair skin dotted with freckles, which Victoria might have thought of as cute if she hadn’t just encroached on her territory. The brunette was in the process of taking off her messenger bag which she had slung across her shoulder and putting it in front of her seat, but froze as soon as Victoria stood. 

“Umm.” was all that could escape the girl as she seemed to timidly study Victoria’s features, an action she hoped the blonde wouldn't notice.

_ Why is she looking at me like that?  _ Victoria thought judgmentally,  _ is she, like, analyzing every part of my face or something right now? Ugh what a weirdo. _

“Umm?!” Victoria mocked, “Is that short for ‘umm, I’m sorry. I’m going to get out of your space now?”

The girl simply gawked at this. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights, which tugged at Victoria’s heart more than she’d like to admit.

“Well?” Victoria spoke as if daring the brunette to say anything. She simply closed her mouth and pulled out her ticket from her bag, showing it to Victoria.  _ Smart move,  _ Victoria thought, as she scanned the girl’s ticket. As Victoria scanned, the girl finally spoke, catching Victoria by surprise, “Actually, I think you’re in my seat.” Her voice came out weak and nervous, Victoria found it obnoxious how shy she was being, but she found the girl’s claim even more obnoxious. She pulled out her phone to show her ticket, because of course, Victoria had it electronically,  _ who has time to paper? _

At this point, Victoria had sat back down, to retrieve her phone from her bag. Victoria leaned over the armrest, showing the girl her phone, 

“See? My seat.” She stated plainly, Victoria had lost some of her fire as it was  _ still  _ morning. In that moment, her phone dinged with a notification, 

**Mom: Goodluck at Blackwell. Try hard. Work harder. And remember we love you! <3**

Victoria yanked her phone away from the other girl’s sight as the notification popped up, hoping she didn't have enough time to read it.  _ Ugh, she’s so fake, she probably got her secretary to type that for her,  _ Victoria thought,  _ ‘<3’ HA! As if my mother would ever type that. _

“Sooo…” The brunette began, once again catching Victoria off guard and pulling her out of her thoughts, “Blackwell?”


	2. one for the books

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter, lets go! *cracks knuckles*  
> (I kinda don’t have a plot planned out for this fic… but I’ll figure something out, for now I’m kinda improvising, but in a way that’s setting up for everything that I don’t have planned lmaooo.)

**Victoria POV (still)**

“Sooo…” The brunette began, once again catching Victoria off guard and pulling her out of her thoughts, “Blackwell?”

“What?” Victoria mindlessly said in response, as mentally thrown off as she was, she still managed to get it out in a challenging tone.  _ Is this girl really trying to socialize with me right now? ‘Listen your act is cute, but I have better shit to do then have small talk with some random stranger,’  _ Victoria mentally joked to herself. She might have even said that out loud if she had the mental energy to spend.  _ I have to prepare myself for school, not hone my flirting abilities with a cutie on a plane.  _

The shy girl finally spoke up again, “The text. It— it said something about ‘Blackwell,’” she paused. “Blackwell, like Blackwell Academy?”

“So what? Do you want to ask me questions about your ‘dream school’ or something? Are you going there to shadow a student for the first day?”  _ Would you like to shadow me?  _ Victoria kept that last question to herself. Mentally slapping herself for thinking it in the first place.

“Uhh, no. I’m a student there too.” Now it was Victoria’s turn to gawk.  _ This girl was admitted into Blackwell?! No way, this has to be a joke.  _ As if reading Victoria’s mind, or simply just looking at the incredulous expression she wore, the brunette exclaimed, almost defensively, “Hey! What’s so crazy about  _ me _ attending Blackwell?”

Not responding, Victoria simply scrutinizingly looked the defender up and down, as if that was enough of an answer to her question.

Seeing what the blonde was trying to say, well not even  _ say  _ but just  _ demonstrate.  _ The brunette quickly spoke, “What’s that supposed to mean? Just because I don’t have a—a” She gestured to the blondes outfit, “a sweater made of alpaca fur, or whatever, doesn’t mean I can’t attend a good school. I work hard!”

_ Damn,  _ Victoria thought, holding a demeaning gaze,  _ she’s got fire, I’ll give her that.  _ Her intense stare lessened, “Actually it’s cashmere,” she stated plainly, turning to look out the airplane window feigning disinterest, when she actually hoped the girl would speak to her again. 

A somewhat comfortable silence lasted after that. ‘ _ Somewhat,’  _ Victoria thought, because she noticed the other girl kept fidgeting in her seat, until she finally pulled out some photos and busied herself with studying them. At least, Victoria  _ thought _ they were photos, it's not like she was paying  _ that _ much attention to the brunette. By this time, Victoria had pulled out a mini textbook her father had bought her so she could get a head start in her AP Psychology class and focused on that. 

She studied, until the screen attached to the back of the seat in front of her started flashing. It read:

**MadMax95 has invited you to play Solitaire!**

**“** What the fuck…” the blonde mumbled, which the other girl laughed at.  _ She laughed,  _ Victoria thought,  _ ugh snap out of it, you have better things to do then think about how cute that laugh was… like beating this bitch in solitaire!  _ Victoria mentally exclaimed, tapping the green ‘accept’ button and typing in a username in the required field.

**Max POV**

_ What is happening,  _ Max thought, imagining her life as a news headline,  _ ‘Max Caulfield Charms a Cute Girl into Playing Solitaire With her on an Airplane.’ Not exactly the catchiest title, but definitely one for the books.  _ Not even a second later her screen flashed with a notification:

**QueenVictoria has joined your game!**

_ Heck, how do you even play Solitaire?  _ Max thought scratching her head. Upon noticing her puzzled look, Victoria glanced over at her.

“What’s wrong?” She said, “Trouble in loserville?” This time her comments were delivered with a mischievous tone and a smirk across her features.  _ Better than her previous snarky remarks, I guess,  _ Max thought, deciding to attempt to return some trash talk.

“Really? ‘Loserville?’ That’s all you got?” Max prodded, “Your cashmere turtleneck must be cutting off the circulation to your brain, which works for me, I’ll take an easy win.” Victoria scoffed more out of amusement than disgust and let out a little laugh, which was already a win in Max’s book. 

Time on the flight passed, as the heated game of solitaire went on, mostly in silence, except for a few glances and remarks. 

In the end, due to Max’s lack of knowledge of how to actually play solitaire, Victoria won. “Dang,” Max sighed, not at all disappointed, and just happy that she got to play a game of solitaire with the blonde.  _ Wait ‘the blonde,’ what was her name? Victoria?  _ Max mentally guessed, based on the username she had entered, trying to gather the courage to ask her. In doing so, an idea hit Max so she turned to the blonde, with a sudden burst of courage, and offered her hand to shake. 

Max put on a ‘chivalrous voice’ saying, “Good game, well played, a worthy opponent, Miss…”

“Victoria,” The blonde stated, shaking her hand skeptically, but deciding to humor the brunette, “And I’m assuming you’re Max?”

The simple contact still managed to temporarily short circuit Max’s brain, “Y—yeah,” she said stupidly. 

“So, you  _ really  _ are going to Blackwell?” Victoria questioned her. 

“Yep.” Max stated, in a way she hoped, was not that awkward.

“It's a private school mainly known for its photography courses...so that means you must be interested in that.” Victoria continued, seemingly talking to herself more than to Max.  _ It’s like she’s trying to figure me out or something. Like I’m some kind of human-puzzle,  _ Max thought.

“Yep,” Max repeated herself, but elaborated, “I’ve been taking photos ever since I came out of the womb.”  _ Dang it!  _ Max chided herself,  _ ‘came out of the womb!?’ really Max?! You finally manage to talk with a cute girl and that’s what you say?! _

Max’s  _ awkward  _ delivery of her  _ awkward  _ joke must’ve had some kind of effect on the blonde, because she let out a huge belly laugh.  _ One point for being an anti-social mess.  _ Max thought.

“Well that’s one way to put it,” Victoria said after calming herself down. “I like taking pictures too, like, a lot, but I’m not sure if I’d be  _ that  _ into it if my parents hadn’t forced it on me.”

_ Wow.  _ Max thought.  _ She’s opening up to me… what do I do? _

“Haa.. yeah,” Max scratched her head before continuing, “Just finally lining up the perfect shot...” Max did a framing gesture to Victoria with both hands using her thumb and forefinger. “—is one of the best feelings.” 

For some reason, after saying that, Max saw a subtle tint spread across Victoria’s face. Her expression didn’t change, but the gears in her head seemed to be turning faster.

**Victoria POV**

_ What the fuck Victoria?! ( _ panics in gay)  _ Control yourself. Just because after she said ‘Just finally lining up the perfect shot is one of the best feelings,’ and you thinking ‘I can make you feel even better.’ Does not give you and excuse to get flustered. Since when do you, a Chase, get flustered? Its all because of this stupid girl. She just has this effect that makes me want to open up about myself. Relax,.  _ Victoria thought, just regain control of the situation.

  
“Yeah, it’s whatever.” _Good. Just pretend you’re uninterested._ Victoria genuinely loved taking pictures, but she could not let some low life, low status peasant, get to her. _Summer vacation has made you soft,_ she scolded herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I’m not exactly sure how you play solitaire with two players, but I thought it sounded funnier than ‘chess’ so let's just go with it :)


	3. put it on my card

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, me again. Don't forget to like and hit that bell icon! I'm jk lets get into it! (A bit of a shorter chapter, next one will be longer, I promise)

**Victoria POV**

“Yeah, it’s whatever.”  _ Good. Just pretend you’re uninterested.  _ Victoria genuinely loved taking pictures, but she could not let some low life, low status peasant, get to her.  _ Summer vacation has made you soft,  _ she scolded herself.

Even after thinking this Victoria just could not help herself. Not even 10 minutes later after another ‘comfortable silence’ arose, a flight attendant came by. Victoria didn’t even have to call the flight attendant over, she summoned him with pure superiority and eye contact alone.

“What would you like?” He asked in a polite tone. Not even bothering to respond to him, Victoria simply turned to Max, catching her attention with her stare.

“M—Me?!” Max squeaked. 

“Duh. Whadda you want?” Victoria said in an awfully challenging tone for someone who was just about to buy airplane food for someone else.

Max’s eyes lit up, in the same way a child might react when given a new toy. “Tori! If I didn’t know any better I might say that you’re warming up to me!”

Victoria had a serious tone, but the slight smile on her face gave away her true feelings. “Well good thing you know better, and no nicknames, just order.” She gestured to the flight attendant, who’s patient demeanor was becoming not so patient.

“Right, umm. Peanuts! And—and a cola, please!” Max said excitedly, though the airplane food wasn’t really what she was excited for.

As the flight attendant retrieved what she ordered from his cart. Max turned to Victoria. 

“Thanks, Tori!” She said, practically with stars in her eyes.

Not saying ‘thank you,’ Victoria simply grunted, “What did I say about nickna—”

“And who should I charge this for?” The flight attendant asked, handing Max her food and drink.

“Just put it on my card,” Victoria responded turning away.

As the flight attendant walked away, Max munched on her snack. “You don’t have to do this, y’know tori—I mean Victoria. I’ll pay you back.”

“Its fine, who said I was doing this for  _ you  _ anyways? Maybe I just want to get free mileage by using my card to buy in-flight food.” She said with a smirk.

“Or maybe—” Max said as she put her hand on Victoria’s which was lying on the armrest, catching them both by surprise for a second, “maybe, you just don’t want to admit that I’m growing on you.” Max’s blue eyes pierced into Victoria’s green ones.

Victoria blushed, but turned to look out the window before Max could see.  _ Geez, where did this hipster gain so much courage. She’s so pure, all her intentions are just ‘soft.’ I don’t deserve that. Plus, I’m a Chase, I can’t just forget about my reputation for some rando loser girl. ‘A loser girl that has a certain skill in making you blush,’  _ Victoria scolded herself. 

After a minute of Victoria not responding, Max continued, “Blackwell won’t be so bad if you’re there. We could hang. That could be cool.” Max was more talking out loud to herself rather than to Victoria at this point.  _ Face it, Victoria. You do want to hang out with her, but it's not like that’s gonna happen  _ with your reputation and all.  _ Now I just feel bad for leading her on to a friendship that’s just not gonna happen. _

“Listen, Max—” Victoria started, ready to tell her things aren’t going to be the same in Blackwell, but right as she began, the planes intercom went off.

***Doo* “You have now arrived in Arcadia Bay”**

“Oh! We’re here!” Max said hurriedly. “I gotta catch a bus to the school, but let’s talk later!” She said gathering all her things. 

And just like that, as quickly as Max Caulfield had waltzed into Victoria’s life, she was gone, for now, at least.

_ Shit,  _ Victoria thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that ends "The adventures of Victoria and Max on an airplane." Time to actually get to Blackwell. Where "chaos" will ensue.


	4. viewfinder to my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a weird chapter title lol I just liked the way it sounded

**Max POV**

The bus ride to school felt like it took hours.  _ Well, it was supposed to be about an hour, but the plane ride was about an hour, but it felt like 10 minutes with the company of a certain someone.  _

Since there was nothing Max could do but wait, she simply put in her earbuds and tuned out her surroundings with the power of soft indie music, letting her mind wander.  _ I wish I could’ve stayed longer to at least walk her to her car or whatever limo would come to pick her up, but I have to hurry to unpack my things, since school starts, literally tomorrow.  _

Plus, since Max had gotten a scholarship, the school had covered the cost of certain things for her like the plane ticket and the moving of some of the more permanent things she’d be bringing, like the pot for her plant, and other essentials. All of these things, were currently being delivered to her dorm so she had to get there, take everything out of the van and bring it up to her dorm. Simple, right? 

Soon, Max had arrived at school. Looking out the window of the bus, she thought,  _ gee, this place is pretty ‘upperclassy,’ especially for being in a small town like Arcadia Bay.  _ Max stepped out of the bus and made a beeline for the dorms.  _ Wait where are the dorms?  _ She thought realizing she had no idea where she was going.  _ If only I could call Victoria or something, but I didn’t even—,  _ she cut off her thoughts to mentally facepalm,  _ I didn’t even get her number! Oh well, I mean, I’ll see her in the dorms, I guess. _

_ Okay, focus, Max you gotta hurry to get your stuff!  _ As she mentally scolded herself, she spotted someone who might be of assistance. Somebody who didn’t look like they might chew her head off with diamond studded teeth. That someone was a cute girl,  _ cute—,  _ Max interrupted her own thoughts _ , not in the same way that Victoria is cute, but cute like ‘I want to protect her kinda cute.’ I mean, I do want to protect Victoria too, but that—  _ Max’s inner interruption was interrupted by the outer interruption of the girl calling out to her.

“Hey.” She said, her voice just as fragile sounding as she looked with her soft blonde hair in a big bun, her blue cardigan over a white shirt, and a small gold cross hanging from her neck, “Do you need help?”

“Uh—yeah! Actually, I do. How could you tell?” Max answered.

“I don’t know your eyes just looked like the eyes of someone who needed help. If that makes any sense,” She mumbled the last part to herself, “I’m Kate Marsh.” She extended her hand for Max to shake.

“I’m Max Caulfield,” she said returning the handshake, then awkwardly raising her hand behind her head to scratch the back of it. “Do you know which way the dorms are?” Max asked timidly.

“Of course,” Kate replied, “Follow me.” She said with a smile.

While following Kate, Max felt the need to create small talk, her worst enemy. “Sooo…” Max trailed off, “What do you do here in Blackwell?”

“I like photography, but my main focus is drawing. I want to be a children’s book author.”

“That’s cool. Have you written any books yet?”

“A few. They’re not any good though, I wouldn’t even show them to my rabbit, Alice.” She said, with a light laugh.

“Oh, I’m sure they’re better than anything I could come up with. I’d love to see them sometime.”

“Alright, maybe later you can look at them over some tea.”

“Sounds good to me.” Max said.  _ Hey, small talk isn’t so bad. And I think I just made a friend. _

“Here are the dorms,” Kate said, preventing Max from mentally patting herself on the back from making a friend. 

“Thanks! I gotta unpack my things, but I’ll talk to you later.”

“Of course, later Max,” the girl said, walking away. 

**1 hour later**

_ Hey, I’m done unpacking. Now I can finally relax.  _

Max decided to spend the rest of her time exploring the school and taking pictures of things she found interesting. This was her way of destressing. 

She had started to get a feel for the school, understanding the layout a bit better and even getting some cool candid pictures of students with her polaroid.  _ Kinda creepy, but not, I mean, if you’re in a school known for its photography, you should expect to have your picture taken at some point,  _ Max thought, attempting to justify her “snapshot stalking.”

Just as Max was about to snap another picture of a student, she snapped out of her “no bullshit photo taking concentration mode,” which definitely was paired with a “no bullshit photo taking face,” when she finally realized who her next unknowing victim was.  _ The expensive sweater and pencil skirt, the pixie cut blonde hair, and those ‘long’ legs. Wowsers that’s Victoria,  _ Max thought, sighing deeply. It wasn’t like she looked super different from when they last met, but the perfect lighting from “golden hour” and beautiful way she was framed within Max’s viewfinder did things to her heart, very soft, squishy things. It was as if Max’s own photography skills betrayed her in making Victoria look even more stunning. That is, until Victoria spotted Max and looked at her with a very scrutinizing look, staring her down through the lens of her polaroid. 

In that moment, Max gave her a mischievous smirk and a little wave, fluttering her fingers, still looking through the viewfinder, focusing. This action, got Max exactly the reaction she had hoped for. Victoria had become a little flustered, but as her nostrils flared in anger she could not help the look of affection she gave Max, although that looked only reached her eyes and mouth for a second. But a second was all Max needed as she quickly took the picture. Taking the polaroid which had been dispensed a second later, and waving it triumphantly, angering Victoria further. 

  
“Caulfield!” Victoria called out angrily. _Huh using my last name… that’s new,_ Max thought as her demise grew nearer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost there folks. Hang in there. I have plans Mwuahahahaha! ψ(｀∇´)ψ


	5. what brings you here

“Caulfield!” Victoria called out angrily.  _ Huh using my last name… that’s new,  _ Max thought as her demise grew nearer.

**Victoria POV**

_ I can’t believe this hipster. She meets me on a plane, has one conversation with me, and now she thinks that gives her the right to take photos of me without my permission? Absolutely ridiculous. If anyone else got a hold of that picture my reputation would be toast.... Okay, maybe not toast, maybe just a slightly heated piece of bread, but still things like that are damaging and I need to make sure she understands that.  _

_ I was too open during our first meeting. I led her to think that it was going to be some regular thing. ‘Oh look there’s Victoria! I think I’ll go and have a normal conversation with her.’ Yeah right. In your dreams. I don’t have time for hipster trash. I don’t know why I don’t just tell her these things. It would be so much easier to push her out now, but I just can’t. Her soft doe eyes are looking at me with innocence and fear because I had just yelled at her. Fucking softie. I should tell that straight to her face, but I can’t. ‘What’s stopping you Victoria? Put this trash in her place. End this friendship now.’  _ Her “inner-inner conscience” said, but Victoria as she’s thought many times now, just couldn’t.

Victoria sighed, attempting to calm the storm of voices in her head. “What do you think you’re doing, Caulfield?” She said in a still snappy, but much more mellow tone than she would have otherwise used, had it not been Max standing in front of her.

“...Taking pictures?” She said, confused. “Also, hi again, Victoria!” Max said going from confused to practically beaming at Victoria.  _ Damn it.  _ Victoria mentally hissed. _ Why does she have to be so innocent?  _

“Well maybe stop. Or  _ at least  _ stop taking pictures of me. It’s creepy.” Victoria said, managing to lace  _ some  _ venom into her voice.

“Oh—Okay. I just was kinda in focus mode, and could help but take your picture, sorry.” Max said getting quieter after every word.  _ Fucking adorable,  _ Victoria thought.  _ Stop. Focus. _

“Next time you go into ‘focus mode’ try focusing on buying a better camera. That polaroid is ancient.” Victoria said the word polaroid like it was the most disgusting word she’d ever uttered. “I’ll even buy you a new one if  _ you _ can’t  _ afford _ it,” she continued, “That way, if you ever take a picture of me again, it won’t come out looking disgusting.”  _ Damn it,  _ Victoria thought, since that last part wasn’t as mean as she’d hoped. If anything it was more of an invitation.

“No picture of you could ever look disgusting, Victoria.” Max muttered quietly.  _ What the fuck?!  _ Victoria thought, feeling a blush climb up her cheeks.

“Anyways, I’ve got to go. See you later,  _ Smallfield.”  _ Victoria said through gritted teeth, quickly turning on her heel to hide her flushed face. A series of “damn it’s” flooded her mind all the way to her dorm. Leaving behind a very confused Max.

“Bye, then, Victoria?” She called out after her.

**Max POV**

_ Welp,  _ Max thought laying on her bed,  _ that could have gone better. It’s like she was trying to push me away, but very gently, well as gentle as Victoria Chase could be. _

**The next day (yes this is the day when the first part happened before the flashback)**

_ First day, let's do this.  _ Max thought, with surprisingly high hopes.  _ I hope I have a class with Victoria. _

In a shocking turn of events, the first day was uneventful. Max made it to her last period, photography, without a single interesting thing happening, including not seeing Victoria.  _ Dang,  _ Max had to admit that she was at least a little disappointed. 

She walked into her photography class carrying this disappointment, until she spotted a familiar face.  _ Hey! It's Kate!  _ Max thought making a beeline over to her.

Kate smiled and waved when she spotted Max. “Hey, Max,” she said softly.

“Hey, mind if I next to you?” Max asked, awkwardly rubbing her elbow.

“Of course not. Let's be partners!” 

Max and Kate had settled into a calm conversation about photography, when Max noticed a particular blonde walk in. Max stared, her eyes widening a little in excitement, at the prospect of having photography with Victoria.

“Max.” Kate called out to her, despite Max being on another planet. A planet whose atmosphere had a different kind of oxygen. She inhaled and exhaled a new oxygen called ‘desire.’ She liked the way it filled her lungs, not with anxiety, but with happy little nervous energy. “Max!” Kate said, quite loudly, for Kate, at least. Even Victoria heard it from across the room causing her to jerk her head in the direction of the noise, on high alert. Kate’s yelling caused Max to look at her for a second, then back at Victoria when Max saw her look over. Not only saw but she ‘felt’ it.  _ Her gaze is too powerful,  _ Max thought, trying to focus back on Kate.

**“** Like I was saying, Max, you should avoid Victoria at all costs she’s bad news.” Kate continued on with the thought that Max was now paying attention again.

“Yuh huh,” Max nodded her head along to what Kate was saying, while looking—no more like admiring Victoria Chase’s features from a distance.

Kate drew closer dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper forcing Max to shift her brainpower to hear her whisper, “I don’t like to talk about people behind their backs, and these are Chloe’s words, not mine, but Victoria Chase is basically the queen *bitch* of Blackwell.” Kate said ‘bitch’ so quietly she might as well have just mouthed it.

“Oh, Okay,” Max said taking Kate’s words into consideration.  _ Wait, Chloe? Like Chloe Price?  _ Max would have to ask Kate about that later after she finished gushing over Victoria.

**End of Class**

Finally, class had ended and Max began packing up her things while chatting with Kate again, “So tea in your room tomorrow at 5?”

“Sounds good, Max! See you then,” Kate said walking out into the hallway.

_ This is it. You can do this,  _ Max thought, heading out the classroom to catch up with Victoria. 

Victoria was with her two lackeys Taylor and Courtney, probably talking about the Vortex Club or when was the next time they’d have a ‘Girls Night.’ 

“Hey Victoria!” Max said approaching the trio.

  
“Hey Lamefield. What brings you here? _ ”  _ Victoria said in a sarcastic tone, hoping Max would take the hint and leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay sorry for the "semi-cliffhanger" I'm really tired and going to sleep, but I didn't want to miss two days in a row. Next update will be great I promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Again make sure to comment and kudos! Also not sure if I wanted to make a chasefield AU instead of this, because this is kind of a “basic chasefield format” but I like it and you clearly do to if you read all the way to here so I’m gonna keep going with this. I’m pretty impatient so this will be kind of semi-slow burn but not really slow burn at all i guess. Anyways bye! ;) 
> 
> (expect more updates kinda soon, depends how many people read this and how much time and motivation I have)


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